Following a sweeping victory by Hamas in the Gaza municipal
elections, a senior official in the Bush administration said Saturday
the results were worrying.

The final election results showed Friday that Hamas won control of
seven of the ten municipal councils that held elections, including
the three largest ones: Dir al-Balah, Bnei Siheileh, and Beit Hanun.

But a senior figure in the radical Islamic organization said Friday
this victory demonstrates Hamas´ success as a political, rather than
a strictly militant entity.

Speaking to reporters in Gaza, Mahmoud al-Zahar said "The clear
message [the election results relay] to the Zionist entity is that
the programme of the resistance led by Hamas ... can carry out
achievements in other areas," meaning the political sphere.

Zahar added that Hamas would still not accept a truce unless Israel
agreed to conditions it still has not promised to fulfill, including
freeing Palestinian prisoners.

A senior U.S. State Department official, reacting to the poll
results, said that only Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas´ policy
counted. The Hamas, he said, "are not people we have to work with."

But another senior official in the Bush administration admitted the
results were worrying.

"It is always worrying when people linked to violent faction achieve
success," he said.

"Whether their [the election results] effect the global policy still
remains to be seen," he said.

Mahmoud Abbas´ Fatah party won the remaining three councils,
including the Marazi refugee camp.

The first-ever municipal elections in Gaza, which were held on
Thursday, were seen as a test of strength between the Islamic
militant group and Abbas.

Hamas won 75 out of the 118 seats in the 10 local councils, while the
ruling Fatah party won 39 seats.

"Our people have a consensus on the choice of jihad and resistance
and the election has underscored that concept," Hamas spokesman Muhir
al-Masri told reporters following the announcement of the results.

"We consider this victory as the victory of the Palestinian people,"
said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. "It´s not the victory of
somebody against somebody, the competition was to serve our people´s
interests."

Voter turnout topped 80 percent for the poll, which was the second
stage of Palestinian local elections. The first was held in 26 local
councils in the West Bank in December. In the West Bank elections,
the Fatah party won 12 of the councils, while the Hamas won eight and
independent candidtates won the remainder.

Local Government Minister Jamal al-Shobaki, a Fatah member, said the
high turnout showed that "Palestinian people understand that
democracy and elections are the start to the end of occupation."

The Hamas victories reflected widespread support in Gaza for the
violent Islamic movement, which provides welfare, schools and
kindergartens to the impoverished people in the territory, alongside
its attacks against Israel.

The Hamas is leaning towards participating in July elections for the
Palestinian Legislative Council, and it is possible that Thursday´s
victory will impact the militant organization´s decision.

"The results showed that our people are insisting Hamas take part in
the upcoming ballot," said Abu Zuhri.

The Hamas boycotted the elections for the Palestinian Authority
chairmanship held January 9, in which Abbas won a landslide victory.